Sleep is essential to good health. Most people say that lack of sleep can lead to fatigue, loss of concentration, irritability, and a weaker immune system. However, there are some who propose that it is the quality, not the quantity of sleep that matters. They support the “Da Vinci Sleep Schedule”—so...
A patent, in general, gives an inventor the right to sell, license or mortgage an invention. There are two types of patents. A design patent pertains to the invention’s appearance. This includes the way it is configured, the overall shape, and any decorative or ornamental features that give it a...
Most people have trouble telling the difference between a crocodile (of the crocodylidae family) and an alligator (of the alligatoridae family). At first glance, they look alike: long, with sharp teeth. However, to the astute observer, the crocodile and the alligator have very different mouths....
Copyrights, trademarks and patents all serve a common purpose: to protect a person’s right over an original idea and prevent others from stealing it, claiming it as his or her own, or profiting from it. However, the terms cannot be used interchangeably. They all refer to a particular kind of work....
The immune system is supposed to protect our body—and in most cases, it does. For example, when our body recognizes a foreign microorganism (which can lead to an infection) it sends an army of antibodies to that particular organ. The antibodies kill the microorganism, and all is well. However,...
Obesity is a growing problem in the western world. Studies show that due to unhealthy diet and lack of exercise, there is a sharp rise in clinical obesity—even among children. Obesity is, technically speaking, a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. BMI is arrived at by dividing a person’s weight...
In 1948 a Dutch theoretical physicist named Hendrik Casimir predicted that two uncharged plates, when placed very close to each other in a vacuum, would have a tiny attractive force. Ten years later, his theory was validated by Marcus Spaarnay. Scientists eventually explained that the “Casimir”...
How can the wing movements of a butterfly affect the weather system of a country on the other side of the world? It doesn’t seem possible, but proponents of the Chaos Theory use this—the “Butterfly Effect”—to illustrate how small variations can have monumental impact on large, complex systems....
The black market refers to any illegal trade of products or services. It gets its name from the fact that these transactions are made secretly, keeping law enforcement agencies “in the dark.” It is sometimes referred to as the “underground market”— or any private code that people might use to...
Stretch marks are thin, silvery lines that streak across the skin that has expanded and then contracted. This usually happens through extreme weight gain or loss, such as what happens to body builders, adolescents who go through rapid growth spurts, and pregnant women. Hormonal changes can also...
